The present invention relates to front suspension device that can be locked when the bike goes uphill and an adjustment feature allows the suspension device reactivated when a sudden and large impact is applied to the front wheel.
A conventional bicycle front suspension device xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d is disclosed in FIG. 8 and generally includes an inner tube 21 connected to a crown portion 10 of the front fork and an outer tube 22 in which the inner tube 21 is movably received. A spring is received in the inner tube 21 and stopped by a valve member 25 received in a lower end of the inner tube 21. An end of a sleeve 26 is connected to the valve member 25 and the other end of the sleeve 26 is connected to an adjusting member 27 which is fixed to the outer tube 22. The spring reacts promptly when the front wheel is ridden on a rough road so that the rider does not feel comfortable because the spring immediately releases the energy absorbed. In order to improve the shortcoming, the user may operate the adjusting member 27 to allow some liquid flows out from the sleeve 26 to reduce the speed of the spring that releases the energy. Nevertheless, when the bicycle goes uphill, the front suspension device becomes one of the sources of the resistant force for the rider. The sink of the front suspension device increases a component force that the rider has to overcome.
The present invention intends to provide a front suspension device that can be locked when the bicycle goes uphill and the situation can be unlocked automatically when a large impact is applied to the suspension device.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a front suspension device which comprises an inner tube having a first end connected to a crown portion of a front fork and a second end of the inner tube is movably inserted in an outer tube. A valve member is received in the inner tube and a first end of a sleeve is connected to the valve member. An adjusting member is connected a second end of the sleeve which extends from the inner tube and the adjusting member is fixed to the outer tube.
An end cap is fixedly connected to the first end of the inner tube and a first end of a hollow tube is connected to the end cap and received in the inner tube. A sealing ring is movably connected to a second end of the hollow tube and engaged with an inner periphery of the inner tube. A spring is mounted to the tube and in contact between the end cap and the sealing ring. A plurality of paths are defined through the sealing ring.
A core is movably received in a passage of the hollow tube and a first end of the core is connected to an adjusting switch which is rotatably connected to the end cap. A head is connected to a second end of the core and movably seals the paths.
The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.